CBS Is Down On Bucs’ Start, Maybe Their Whole Season
May 15th, 2026
Scoffed at by CBS.
Like draft grades, it seems every Tom, Dick and Harriette has to type up a “Winners and Losers” of the NFL schedule release.
While Garrett Podell of CBS isn’t exactly calling the Bucs “losers,” Podell believes the Packers are a winner from the schedule release, in part because Green Bay plays the Bucs in Week 4.
Podell believes the Bucs will still be searching for their footing in Week 4 with so much roster change. And, Podell is a non-believer in Baker Mayfield.
Week 4 will feature another road game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team last seen losing seven of their final nine games of the 2025 season en route to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Quarterback Baker Mayfield had his worst season as a Buccaneer by every key passing metric, and Tampa Bay will be breaking in yet another new offensive coordinator in Zac Robinson. Also, 2026 will be Mayfield’s first year with the Buccaneers without Mike Evans after the latter departed for the San Francisco 49ers.
Podell makes some valid point. And while Podell mocked Mayfield and the Bucs for losing seven of their final nine games — the Bucs should be mocked for that when you look at the level of their opponents in those seven games — perhaps Podell is unaware the Bucs jumped out to a 6-2 mark last season largely without Evans and without Chris Godwin, too.
It’s not like Mayfield will be throwing to a bunch of stiffs this season.
May 15th, 2026 at 9:11 am
Last year is over, nothing to do with this year. Packers aren’t that great anyway, haven’t been since we squashed them 5 years ago. Funny the Chef’s had a bad year last year yet all the prognosticators are predicting great things from them, bounce back year. Maybe. Maybe not. Same teams chirped every year. Go have the Bain mentality. Don’t pose in the mirror, grab yer hat and get on with it.
May 15th, 2026 at 9:18 am
The Bucs have to PROVE IT !
After the last two seasons suicidal losing STREAKS and the refusal of local media to do their jobs.
Bowels is like water that seeks its own level
Bowels is a lifetime.500 WL head coach
May 15th, 2026 at 9:23 am
A side note on losing Evans. If he would have retired instead of going to another team he would still be gone. Yeah the offense went through Mike, great weapon but for every negative about losing him there is a positive, or could be turned into one. We have 3 really good receivers in CG, EE, and JMAC, and an ascending one, I hope in Tez. Now add Hurst and a new OC. No one knows what the looks will be, how they will be schemed open, who is the primary in a certain formation, etc. It will take the league at least 1/2 the year to have tape on this offense, if it’s working well. And that’s not counting the running game or TE’s. It could be a better offensive production overall with out the 1 guy everyone knows will be targeted. All 4-5 of these guys are capable of big plays and certainly moving the sticks.
May 15th, 2026 at 9:27 am
Bowles now has some serious talent on defense. Watch out, NFL! Vea, Kancey and Bain all on the same defensive line will be *something*.
I like our chances to improve dramatically- mostly by injured players returning and that great draft and some key free agents.
May 15th, 2026 at 9:27 am
Sounds like thereâs some level headed folks at CBS. Believing what their eyes tell them. A novel concept indeed.
I highly doubt they were unaware of the Bucs 6-2 start.
That only makes the 2-7 finish that much more soul crushing.
Had we been around.500 the rest of the season after the bye, a Todd Bowles special, the playoffs would have been easily secured due to a putrid division.
Instead Todd blamed everyone else and fired all the scapegoats he could find.
Unfortunately for Toad Bowels, weâve seen his genius first hand and the truth cannot be papered over by unrealistic uber positive lemming speak.
Steaming pile of cow dung > Bowles scheme
May 15th, 2026 at 9:30 am
Most reasonable people can see the Bucs have a very strong roster. Their problem is obvious. The Bucs have one of the worst head coaches in the NFL. As a fan I wish that wasn’t the case.
May 15th, 2026 at 9:39 am
Hi I am a big Bucs fan. However, as you know the Bucs were maybe worse than their record. As the season wore on they were flat awful and seemed to be getting worse as the season went on. With that in mind I think the Bucs until proven otherwise should be considered a less than 500 team. Yes they appear to have obtained some talent with the draft. However those players are no guarantee to make an impact next season if beyond. Additionally they still appear to have a huge need for a veteran starter at corner.
They have a rookie ILB now starting and another 31 years old. They have a ton to prove if you ask me. I am not getting my hopes up either until they prove something different. Right now I am in the minority but until they improve the CB position, I don’t see more than 6 wins. I don’t see Morrison or McColumn being starting players. Yes, while the Bucs have an offense it appears logical it will take some time to adjust to a new coordinator. Hopefully not long. Yes hopefully the Bucs get better as the season goes on and not worse. With better CB’play and the rookies gaining experience, I can see the team being much better at the end of the season, while starting out slowly at the beginning.
May 15th, 2026 at 9:41 am
Burrow, Chase and Higgins will cook Zyon and Benmo.
May 15th, 2026 at 9:54 am
Team earned the ridicule. The question is can the players elevate their play, maintain it at a high enough level while displaying the consistency to be the best version of themselves week in and week out.
Riding the rollercoaster isn’t going to cut it in ’26, save that sh*t for Busch Gardens
May 15th, 2026 at 9:55 am
Donât forget Dallas WRs, Detroit WRs, Green Bay WRs. They will be tested early and often. And then we will see if we are contenders or pretenders. I think we could be anywhere between 7 to 10 wins max at best.
May 15th, 2026 at 10:11 am
As much as I hate to say it, I see a down year to the years we barely won this terrible division in week 18 with some help shouldâve been a sign. If this year goes how itâs looking like, e we can finally draft our franchise qb, so I guess some good will come of this.
May 15th, 2026 at 10:14 am
Who cares what these guys say? If they were so good at predictions, then they wouldn’t have to work. They could just gamble for a living, right?
May 15th, 2026 at 10:15 am
Three of the Bucs starting front seven aren’t even in the NFL anymore, neither of our guards could get a starting gig with any other team. Even when Baker threw for 4, 600 yards, Evans only got 1,000 of them. These national people never have a clear idea of what’s going on
May 15th, 2026 at 10:20 am
The Bucs and Bowles have a lot to prove after last seasons debacle. Doesn’t surprise me
May 15th, 2026 at 10:26 am
You guys are a big bunch of glass half empty people
May 15th, 2026 at 10:31 am
Whoever this Podell is, heâs overly optimistic. The Bucs footing left for San Francisco and Washington. Baker is who some wise posters have described him to be, and his gag reflex gets acute once the heat is on. Or the prime time lights. No amount of delusion or bullying of realistic takes is going to change the inevitable.
Jason could have but didnât. Here we are.
May 15th, 2026 at 10:37 am
Reasons to love this schedule.
1) lots of 1 pm games-For whatever reason the Bucs tend to do well on normal Subday 1pm games.
2) lack of primetime games- this goes back to reason 1. Primetime as been unkind to Baker and Bowles.
3) perfect bye week timing- a mid-season Bye week is ideal.
I see 10-11 wins. But it all comes down to health and which Baker this team gets for 17 games.
May 15th, 2026 at 10:48 am
wish folks would stop talking about the 6-2 start lol…it means nothing!!!!
it aint how you start, its how you finish!!!!
Podell does makes some valid point…
Baker needs to prove he’s not a BUST…Bowles needs to prove he’s “still” a defensive guru and Zac needs to prove he’s a quality OC
big year for the BUCS!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
May 15th, 2026 at 11:17 am
“wish folks would stop talking about the 6-2 start lolâŚit means nothing!!!!”
Agree, it’s a really narrow way of looking at last season and even that 6th win before the bye was frustrating considering the defense was 2 inexplicable whistles away from outscoring our offense in the last game before the bye. That’s not even their job.
“Baker needs to prove heâs not a BUSTâŚBowles needs to prove heâs âstillâ a defensive guru and Zac needs to prove heâs a quality OC”
All the gushing over Z-Rob as a new face is cool, but he better make a hell of an impression week 1
May 15th, 2026 at 11:20 am
Stpetematt Says:
Vea, Kancey and Baine sounds like a formadable front to you?
Vea is going to be 32.
CK has never played a complete season.
Baine is a rookie. Sapp only had 3 sacks his rookie year.
5-12
May 15th, 2026 at 11:21 am
Of course he doesnât know what they had at WR or what was going on with Tampa last season.
Heâs a Packer honk who did surface level research, just like the rest of these big market turkeys.
Pretty sure the Packers have lost 3 or 4 straight vs the Bucs.
I remember Rodgers throwing a pick early in Tampa to Jamel Dean (?) and Packers got beat handily.
Then the playoff win in GB.
Then Baker and Canales marched up and down the field in GB to beat them handily again!
No one in those first 4 games scare me. Burrow and his weapons week 1 are the biggest challenge among them.
May 15th, 2026 at 11:49 am
Yeah. Putting it into the proper context with just how ridiculously WEAK that schedule truly was⌠Just Yeah. And, that included a 3-point âWINâ against the CARDINALS. At HOME. Shew.
May 15th, 2026 at 11:54 am
Yes, Powell remembers who the coach of this team still is, despite all the hoopla from the draft.
May 15th, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Again, we had crucial injuries last season we shouldnât have this year. Both starting guards were out down the stretch which destroyed the team. As well as 2 starting corners getting injured by the end of the season. That put the team down to what seemed to be about 30% normal strength. Should be a totally different team this year if healthy. We were 2-0 with both starting guards.
May 15th, 2026 at 12:12 pm
@ ocala says: âMost reasonable people can see the Bucs have a very strong roster.â
According to WHAT, or from WHOM⌠The local media, JL!? Cause, there is NOT ONE single metric that could back this up or confirm it. How many Pro-Bowl Teams has THIS current roster produced over the past several seasons⌠How bout ALL-PROS!? Better yet, HOW MANY âPro-Bowlersâ has JL even drafted over the past 5+DRAFTS!? How bout ZERO. Do YOU even know just how HARD that would be to do⌠Youâd just about have to intentionally try! What about Postseason Individual Awards!? League Leaders (other than Baker Turnovers in 2024)!? Most importantly, OUR W/L RECORD⌠While, residing in an all-time âhistoricallyâ WEAK NFC South Division. I see nothing but a BUNCH of âSmoke & Mirrors,â is ALL I SEE. Youâre only lying to YOURSELF. Trust and Believe YOUR âEYES.â
May 15th, 2026 at 12:17 pm
How many Top 10-15 players at each position, do the Bucs even have on their entire ROSTER right now, outside of Tristen Wirfs, and our KICKER!?